“You are a remarkably rude and awful man,” she said as she exited after him and he began to ascend the walk. “I have no idea why I am even listening to you. You have done nothing with which to give me confidence.”
He stopped and turned. She expected anger or irritation at the hit to his honor, but was surprised to see amusement instead. “No?”
He stepped forward and circled around her, the cuffs of his shirt brushing against her sleeve, against the material along the dip in her back. “But I could be twice as awful, and though you would complain you would still follow me, would you not?”
His voice was a whisper above her ear.
“Because you have nowhere else to turn and your dear, trusted friend Rockwood said you could trust me. And that’s what you are going to do, Marietta, is it not?”
Every hair on her body lifted toward his carnal voice. She gritted her teeth against the sensation. “I don’t believe I like you, Mr. Noble.”
He laughed softly. She smoothed a hand down the back of her neck to displace the shivers.
“I don’t care, Miss Winters.” His tone was seductive and low, but there was steel underneath. “As long as you keep your end of the bargain, I don’t care in the least. Now get moving.”
Chapter 3
Marietta was mildly annoyed when the butler and footman took one glance at Gabriel Noble and allowed him to pass without comment. Probably hoping he was some rich dandy to toss her skirts or whohadjust tossed her skirts. Hoping they might get paid for once, if so. The servants weren’t stupid. They knew things were dire.
When meals were restricted to bread and water, and the cook dismissed, it wasn’t hard to make the relevant connections. She was surprised the servants had remained with them as long as they had. Mark was a crafty one with his promises and lies.
While the two male servants might be hoping she would toss her skirts for the mysterious man she had entered with, the two maids hovering in the doorway were obviously hoping to toss theirs instead, if their glazed expressions were anything to go by. The butler must have gathered the other three servants in the entrance hall as soon as she left—waiting for the gossip her return might bring.
“Miss?”
The comment was directed to her, but Jeanie’s eyes never left Noble.
“Bring my traveling bag please, Jeanie.”
“Yes, miss.” Glassy eyes stayed on their target. “I look forward to wherever we are traveling.”
Marietta watched the other maid, Carla, pin Noble with an avaricious gaze as he visibly scanned the layout of the ground floor. Her eyes took in everything from the tilt of his head to the curve of his backside, and she took what seemed to be an involuntary step in his direction, as if called there by an invisible force.
That decided it for Marietta. She had been thinking about taking one of the maids with her, but she’d rather struggle with all of her fastenings—she’d rather put her dress onbackward—than have to deal with this again. Besides, neither was loyal to her. The idea of a buffer between Noble had appeal, but not enough to overcome the negatives.
“No, I don’t require your presence on the trip. Please retrieve my case.”
Noble shot her a knowing look, edged with something that resembled irritation—but for the first time, she didn’t think it was directed at her. “Show me your brother’s room.”
She led the way upstairs. Kenny’s room was messy—she had never been able to find a thing in it. She had a feeling that Noble could sympathize with the state, though, judging by his own study.
He poked around, picking up and examining objects, nodding or humming at different things. The humming was a discordant sound in the charged atmosphere.
“I’m going to pack. I trust you will be fine? Don’t disturb Mark. He’s not…pleasant when disturbed after a rough night. Or day.”
“Not pleasant?” Noble’s sharp eyes held hers, searching for something. He must have found it, because his shoulders relaxed and he waved her away. “I will not pester your disreputable brother.”
The two maids, standing attentively in the hall, followed her into her room.
“Who is he, miss?”
Marietta frowned. “Just a man.” She took the case from Jeanie, who was holding it. Stunned and dreamy, she didn’t look capable of relinquishing it on her own.
Carla, always the more brash of the two, elbowed her way past her stunned compatriot. She was eyeing Marietta with the smug disdain she had taken to displaying after the invitations had dried up and the neighbors had turned their backs. And now Carla—all of the servants—were in a plum spot. Serving out gossip to anyone with a pence.
One part of her could understand it—the servants hadn’t been paid in months. Bitter and hungry, they were getting revenge and putting food on the table. The other part of her was angry beyond anything that they were contributing to the fiasco.
“What are you doing with that man?” Carla asked.
